12db per octave vs 24db per octave

[thunderkyss]

Is there any use for a 12db filter? I see most people preferring the 24 db filter, not a lot of love for a 12. If you have the option to use one or the other, do you always grab the 24?


Or is there a time & place for the 12db filter? if so, when & where?

[Acid Mitch]

Is there any use for a 12db filter? I see most people preferring the 24 db filter, not a lot of love for a 12. If you have the option to use one or the other, do you always grab the 24?

There's a lot of love for the Oberheim 12db filters used in the SEM , Arp 12db filters used in the Odyssey, 12db mode in the Roland Jupiter 8 and Moog's new filters sound good set to 12db.
Many eq's have nice 12db filter settings. If you look at the modular world ,there's a whole load of 12db filters that are quite popular.

Yes, they have uses. Some synths only have 12db filters so your using 12db or nothing with them.
On synths,etc where the poles are switchable, you get a brighter sound and resonance will act different from 24db mode.

[Sendy]

12db gives you a brighter sound. So if you want bright sounds, there ya go

Often, the resonance band in a 12db filter will be bigger, wider. So while the 24db filters give you a more dramatic cutoff, the 12db gives more dramatic resonance. If you can find 6db filters with resonance, this difference is even more apparent.

[Acid Mitch]

the 12db gives more dramatic resonance. .

Isn't it usually the other way around ? Like 12db filters on many synths don't go into self oscillation and resonance sounds less pronounced.
I'm thinking Moog, DSI ,Yamaha and some Roland filters.
The Korg MS20 being an exception, but that has stuff in the feedback circuit making resonance more pronounced/screamy.

[Sendy]

On some filters, the 24db will have louder resonance, but it's quite common for the 12db filters to have wider resonance, with a bigger passband. Of course, it all depends on the circuit or implimentation/coding, but for me the draw of shallower filters is the brighter (almost more cartoony) sound, and the wider resonance.

[gkangas]

the 12db gives more dramatic resonance. .

Isn't it usually the other way around ? Like 12db filters on many synths don't go into self oscillation and resonance sounds less pronounced.
I'm thinking Moog, DSI ,Yamaha and some Roland filters.
The Korg MS20 being an exception, but that has stuff in the feedback circuit making resonance more pronounced/screamy.

Sendy's right...at least for Moog. If I switch the filters on my Voyager to 12db (2 pole), the resonance is more intense and the self osc is real nice. However, the 12db mode on DSI stuff has no self osc, and I don't find it particularly useful.

[fluffy_little_something]

Depends on the sound, with basses and leads I prefer 24db, with pads, strings etc. 12db. Unfortunately, my favorite synth does not even have a 24db filter
But one can more or less compensate by setting the filter and filter envelope parameters accordingly. I agree that with resonance the difference becomes more pronounced, but I rarely use settings beyond 35% max anyway.

Usually 12db filters do sound brighter, but if I remember correctly that is not the case with the Saurus synth, maybe it is even the other way round. I only remember because I found it odd back then...

[Acid Mitch]

Sendy's right...at least for Moog. If I switch the filters on my Voyager to 12db (2 pole), the resonance is more intense and the self osc is real nice. .

I just checked my Voyager.
Not sure how I've never noticed.

[No_Use]

Sometimes I use 12db/oct for (more) gentle highs rolloff.

[thunderkyss]

Good discussion guys, thanks to all who replied.

[c_bomb]

Is there any use for a 12db filter? I see most people preferring the 24 db filter, not a lot of love for a 12. If you have the option to use one or the other, do you always grab the 24?


Or is there a time & place for the 12db filter? if so, when & where?

Of course. I throw them on nasty sounding reeses, allows you to hear a bit more of the high end without it being to apparent.

Edit: late to the party.